Why did we choose the story of the virgins and their lamps? We felt a strong connection to the juxtaposition between the foolish virgins and the wise virgins. We feel like the foolish virgins and we are endeavoring to be wise.
In Matthew 25 the story goes that 10 virgins were woken up by a midnight cry and they were to prepare for the Bridegroom’s arrival. They all arose and trimmed their lamps. The five foolish virgins found they were running out of oil, so they asked the wise virgins for more. The wise told them to get their own, because they had enough only for themselves. The wise went to meet the Bridegroom and the foolish went off in search of more oil. When the foolish returned they saw that all had entered the wedding and the door was shut.
When they knocked on the door, the Bridegroom replied that he did not know them.
So we get the metaphor here, we need to be ready for the second coming of Christ. But what is the oil? And why couldn’t the wise virgins help the foolish? We perceive the oil to be our personal relationship with Christ and it is why it can never be given. A personal experience can be shared but not transferred to another.
Three words stood out to us in this story – oil, vessel and lamp. The wise virgins had extra oil in their vessels, the foolish did not have extra. In the Bible the Holy Spirit is likened to the flame of fire or the anointing oil. We are the vessels in which the Holy Spirit is contained. The story is telling us that the wise, through having a relationship with Christ, are filled with the Holy Spirit and the foolish are not. Having a relationship with Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us gives us full lamps that can be lit.
Why couldn’t the Bridegroom recognize the foolish virgins? What is the significance of having enough oil to light your lamps? And why weren’t they let in?! At the second coming there will be those that Christ knows and those he does not know. Christ will recognize those that reflect His light and are mirrors of Himself. Those with full lamps; those who are prepared.
The whole point is that while He tarries, we must prepare. Now is the time to be filling our lamps, now is the time to have extra oil in our vessels. So when we hear the midnight cry, we can light our lamps and be reflections of Christ. Got oil?
To being wise,
Meredith, Jennifer and Marisa
In Matthew 25 the story goes that 10 virgins were woken up by a midnight cry and they were to prepare for the Bridegroom’s arrival. They all arose and trimmed their lamps. The five foolish virgins found they were running out of oil, so they asked the wise virgins for more. The wise told them to get their own, because they had enough only for themselves. The wise went to meet the Bridegroom and the foolish went off in search of more oil. When the foolish returned they saw that all had entered the wedding and the door was shut.
When they knocked on the door, the Bridegroom replied that he did not know them.
So we get the metaphor here, we need to be ready for the second coming of Christ. But what is the oil? And why couldn’t the wise virgins help the foolish? We perceive the oil to be our personal relationship with Christ and it is why it can never be given. A personal experience can be shared but not transferred to another.
Three words stood out to us in this story – oil, vessel and lamp. The wise virgins had extra oil in their vessels, the foolish did not have extra. In the Bible the Holy Spirit is likened to the flame of fire or the anointing oil. We are the vessels in which the Holy Spirit is contained. The story is telling us that the wise, through having a relationship with Christ, are filled with the Holy Spirit and the foolish are not. Having a relationship with Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us gives us full lamps that can be lit.
Why couldn’t the Bridegroom recognize the foolish virgins? What is the significance of having enough oil to light your lamps? And why weren’t they let in?! At the second coming there will be those that Christ knows and those he does not know. Christ will recognize those that reflect His light and are mirrors of Himself. Those with full lamps; those who are prepared.
The whole point is that while He tarries, we must prepare. Now is the time to be filling our lamps, now is the time to have extra oil in our vessels. So when we hear the midnight cry, we can light our lamps and be reflections of Christ. Got oil?
To being wise,
Meredith, Jennifer and Marisa
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